Lady Keladry is betrothed...so there Joren
by Bluebell of Mindelan
Summary: Lady Keladry from the Yamani islands is betrothed to Squire Neal, but develops serious crush on Cleon. Roald can't resist Yuki. omigod. deep troub 4 Cleon wen Kel spies with her hazel eyes. hey, i can write poetry. anyway, R&R peeps!
1. Lady Keladry

Chapter 1 – Farewell, I mean hello.  
  
Keladry laughed as her mother fought against her escort. Ilane was 30, with grey hair while Marika was 15 and average size with sweeping raven hair. Marika caught her mother in a swift flick of the hip, and twisted swiftly to send her flying. Ilane twirled in mid air and managed to land on two feet.  
  
'Well done Mica' she called, 'not even armsmistress Tallika has done that in a while!'  
  
Mica bowed to an imaginary audience. Kel quickly screened her face with her bronze fan, to hide laughter though her eyes crinkled in amusement. Yuki, her other escort, was also hiding behind her fan.  
  
' Shall we have a try at fan toss?' Kel asked in her soft musical voice, 'we'll see if you've improved mother.'  
  
Again the maids hid their smiles behind delicate fans. They thrust them into their obis and hurried to their rooms to each fetch their shukusen. This was a lady fan with a dull heavy base and deadly sharp frames, draped with crimson silk. They were carried by Yamani ladies who felt they were in danger, but didn't want to complicate things by openly carrying a weapon.  
  
When each had returned, they began to go around their circle tossing up their fans, and then catching the dull base in one hand. Kel was as graceful as a dancer in this game, Ilane just concentrated on catching the fan safely, while Yuki and Mica followed Kel's example, without as much elegance though.  
  
Kel gave the Yamani command for ' the blossom opens'. They began to pass the fan to anyone in the circle. After a while of this exercise, Kel signalled for 'sinking sun'. Now they dipped as they caught the fan, whirled it in both hands before dipping again and passing to the next person.  
  
By the time they had tired of this, the Tortallan harbour was looming ever closer. A while later, as it was beginning to get dark, they were met and al four escorted to the palace (even the escorts! From Bluebell of Mindelan). Kel was taken to rooms beside the Squire's wing. She peeled of her clothing and set out the next day's. She fell into her bed and was asleep before she had the chance to unpack her Yamani dream catcher.  
  
She was aroused next morning by the bell that signalled the pages to wake. She dressed and visited the private practice courts. Here she started the day with glaive practice dances.  
  
She had been practicing for over three hours when Yuki came to find her.  
  
'Kel, you are wanted in the mess hall'. She informed her mistress and best friend.  
  
'Who?' Kel inquired.  
  
'Lady Ilane says you need to present yourself to the training master, and meet Nealan of Queenscove'.  
  
Kel sighed inwardly. Nealan of Queenscove was to whom she was betrothed. She did not want to marry. She was a Yamani warrior, part of the Emporer's inner circle and wanted to be a Tortallan knight also, not married and unable to fight without being unmaidenly.  
  
' Escort me then Yuki' Kel fell behind Yuki wondering what this Nealan would be like.  
  
When they arrived, a servant, Timon, announced them both.  
  
'Lady Keladry and Miss Yukimi noh Toyundra' 


	2. Guided tour

Chapter 2 – Guided tour  
  
All eyes turned and Kel was very unnerved. ' Why do they stare so?' she questioned Yuki in Yamani.  
  
Every heart in the hall pounded as the Yamani ladies walked to the dais.  
  
At the back of the hall, Prince Roald turned to his friend Neal and elbowed him. ' So, your Lady has arrived. What do you think?'  
  
Neal wasn't sure. Lady Kel was beautiful, in her cream inner kimono and a golden outer one, tied to accent her perfect figure with a scarlet obi. Two fans hung from the Yamani sash. Her waist length glossy brown hair was pinned in two knots at the back of her head, each secured in place with a crimson lily. A single thin plait trailed from each one, down to her obi. She wore the subtlest amount of lip paint and a hint of rice powder, accenting her dreamy hazel eyes. Her mouth was full and decided. She was beautiful. But did he want her? Cleon, the big redhead to the side of him, was sure there was more to Lady Keladry as Neal was obviously thinking.  
  
Lord Wyldon stepped from the dais and bowed in Easterner style to the two Yamanis.  
  
' Welcome to Tortall.' He said to them as they bowed in the style of the Yamanis, hands palm down on their thighs.  
  
Then Kel and Yuki turned and bowed to the mess hall. All the boys hurriedly got to their feet and bowed back. The two ladies hid smiles behind their fans.  
  
'I believe you'll be wanting a look around?' Lord Wyldon enquired.  
  
Kel nodded as she took in the training master. If she had come over sooner, she sensed he would have trained her well in becoming a Tortallan knight.  
  
'Squire Nealan of Queenscove, please come to escort Lady Keladry on a tour.' Neal stood and walked to the front of the hall and offered his arm to Kel, who upon it placed a perfect hand, with long tapered fingers.  
  
'May I have a volunteer to escort Lady Keladry's maid?'  
  
Every hand in the mess hall was raised, except that of Cleon, who would have preferred to escort Lady Keladry.  
  
'Prince Roald, you escort Miss Yukimi.' Said King Jonathan, rising. 'Your friends may be excused to accompany you. The rest of you pages and squires must finish your meals before we meet Lady Keladry and her mother Lady Ilane properly.'  
  
Prince Roald, Cleon of Kennan, Merric of Hollyrose and Faleron of Kings Reach rose and joined Neal and Kel at the door, pausing only for Roald to offer Yuki his arm. She glowed with pleasure. 


	3. Love of a fight

Hello peeps! Glad 2 c I hav loadsa reviews. I would just like 2 say. DO NOT DO WOT PEEPS HAV BEEN DOING TO Lil Pnk DraGon AND POINT OUT EVERY BEEPIN MISTAKE. Okay?  
  
Thanx 2 all reviewers, u nw peeps, feel free 2 review… right now…I mean it…  
  
Ps: note 2 knightwriter, u may hav guessed, It's a deal! U beda keep ur ½!  
  
Disclaimer:I do not own any of these characters except those u r unfamiliar wiv.  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Love for a fight.  
  
' these are the practice courts' Neal told Kel, glumly. So far, Lady Keladry had not seemed interested in anything.  
  
Kel's heart soared. Finally, the part she had bben waiting for, the chance for a fight.  
  
She cleared her throat delicately. All the boys' heads turned toward her.  
  
' I would like to fight one of you.' She announced in her clear musical voice. Neal raised an eyebrow. Cleon nudged him. Roald glanced at Yuki.  
  
Yuki was staring at her best friend. She had just challenged any of the squires to combat. Kel, a Yamani lady.  
  
Owen of Jesslaw, the youngest of the group, steeped forward.  
  
' I'll take a whack at it Lady Keladry.'  
  
Kel smiled at the short squire in gratitude.  
  
' please, squire Owen, call me Kel'  
  
Kel winked at Yuki and asked Owen if he would prefer to fight with a long weapon, or Shang style. He replied long weapon, he was never much use at Shang combat.  
  
They slid practice pads on, and Owen sought a practice spear, while Kel sent Yuki to fetch her practice glaive, another Yamani lady weapon, from their new quarters.  
  
While they waited, Kel flirted with the red headed youth, Cleon of Kennan. He seemed nicer than this Nealan, to whom she was betrothed.  
  
Neal was handsome enough, with his green eyes and brown hair swept back from a widow's peak )in the words of a famous writer we all know and luv!), but he didn't seem to believe she would be interested in anything to do with combat.  
  
She'd registered the look of sheer amazement on his face when she'd put forth her request for a match.  
  
This Cleon though, he took her for a person, not a fragile doll who would break if you held her too hard. He talked to her as he would other squires.  
  
They were talking about holding off border clans when Yuki returned, holding Kel's wooden practice glaive, with a blunt curved blade for practicing.  
  
Meanwhile, Neal had been watching his friend, Cleon talk to his future wife. Snatches of their conversation drifted over to him every so often.  
  
Where his ears deceiving him? (um…) where they talking about the war with the Scanrans? Kel was a lady though, and she'd seemed so un interested. Had he made a horrible mistake.  
  
He was debating whether to go over and try to join the conversation when Yuki returned, carrying what was obviously Kel's long weapon. A I Glaive I had she called it?  
  
It was a long shaft of wood, topped by a long curved blade, blunted for practicing.  
  
As Kel glanced over, he caught her eye.  
  
She must have seen the disbelief in his eyes because she broke the stare, with a slight shadow of hurt passing over her face, before disappearing behind that bland mask she wore, to hide her emotions. (ok, b4 any 1 sez anything, I mean her Yamani face, not a actual mask).  
  
Yuki hurried over to Roald, and they shared a grin. What did everyone else seem to automatically figure about Kel that he, Neal, didn't?  
  
So she was obviously more than she seemed, but he was sure there was something still kept from him.  
  
But, as to what it was, he was clueless.  
  
Cleon smiled again at Kel, she returned it with a heart melting one that immediately sent a wave of envy crashing in Neal's stomach.  
  
He should be backing off to watch her fight after flirting with her. What did Cleon think he was doing?  
  
'Begin' Roald said calmly, acting as referee (soz, that woz actually in another persons fic, sorry, sorry, sorry, but its such a good line. Am I 4given?)  
  
all thoughts of Cleon flirting with the girl who he was betrothed to, and rather fancied, were driven out of his mind by the sight of Kel, elegant and beautiful as a crystal, catching the light, fighting.  
  
Whaddya fink? Well, wot r u w8ing 4 Review review review. I refuse 2 cont. till I hav 28/ 30. hah! That should keep u goin!  
  
Another note 2 knightwriter: a lil reminder 2 keep ur end of the bargain! Cant w8 2 read urs! 


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